Signal for motor vehicles



NW 27, ma.

Y 3,693,554 M. SMKTHEY SIGNAL FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Original Filed Aug. 13, 1920 2 shgets-sheet l Nm 27, H928.

M. 5Min-HEY SIGNAL FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Original Filed Aug. 13, 1.9% 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented Nov.. 27, 1928. mara rara MARVIN SMTHEY, F LAWRENCEV ILLE, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR T0 L. l?.

SMITHEY .AND

NELLIE C. SMITHEY, BOTH 0F ROANOKE, VIRGINIA.

SIGNAL FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

Application filed August 13, 1920, Serial No. 403,252. Renewed. February 24, 1925.

It is important, in order to get the most eflicient service out of an automobile or motor vehicle and to maintain it in good running condition, to keep up the supply of lubrication or other material necessary for the proper working of the vehicle parts or membcrs.`

wasted so that in good time the user will be admonished to attend thereto. Other object-s' and advantages of my invention will appear or be understood by those skilled in the art when the means or devices T employ are understood from the hereinafter given description. My invention consists in the mechanism described by or included within the scope of the appended claims.

ln the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a known type of speedometer embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a view on a larger scale in vertical section showing the signal operating mechanism- F 3 is a detail view of the change gear device;

Fig. 4c is a front elevation of another form of my invention; r

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is adetail view of a clutch device that may be used in the transmitting mechanism of the signal device.

Brieliy described, my invention comprises in the embodiments shown in the drawings, a legend carrying or exhibiting member preferably of a type which is viosual that is caused to display the legend either when a predetermined mileage is run or a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the display in the former case being effected by or under the control of the odometer or a motor driven device, and in the latter case being effected by or under the control of a time piece preferably mounted in the same speedometer casing. Thus, if for any reason the car should not be run a mileage callin@ for the renewal or replenishment of, say, lubricating oil, notwithstanding a sufficient period of time had elapsed requiring such renewal or replenishment the signal or warning would nevertheless be displayed thru the action of the time piece; and if either of the signal display controlling devices should for any reason not affecting the other fail to cause the display of the signal the other will cause its display.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, and 3 o-f the drawlngs, 10, designates a speedometer of known construction having a speed indicator, 11, a trip odometer, 12, a season odometer, 13, and a clock, 14C. At some convenient place in the spedometer dial is a display hole, 15, to and from which is movable a plate or tablet, 16, said tablet being mounted on a pivot, 17, and acted upon by a spring, 18, which tends to swing it from the hole, l5, to display the warning signal, which may be a word or legend printed or painted and visible thru the hole, 15. The tablet or shutter, 16, is latched in position to conceal the signal or warning by a trip arm, 19, that engages a tooth, 20, on the side of the tablet. The tail of the trip, 19, is in the path of a rotating tooth, 21, on a shaft, 22, that carries a pinion, 23, which, by change gears, 24, receives motion from both the odometer, 13, and the clock, 14. The change gear includes a shaft, 25, loose upon which are two worm wheels, 26 and 27, respectively, the former being engaged by a worm 28, on a shaft, 29, connected by suitable. gears, 30, with the odometer, and the latter being engaged by a worm, 31, on a shaft, 32, connected by gears, 33, with the clock train. The worm gears, 26 and 27, may be clutched to the shaft, 25, by some suitable clutch device that permits the rotation off the shaft independently of the gears, such, for example, as the ball clutch shown in Fig. 6. Thus, tho both odometer and clock are geared to the shaft, 25, either may rotate the shaft independently of the other and hence, if, for example, the odometer Should not have registered the mileage at which the signal should be displayed altho, in point of fact, the period of time had expired when the signal should be displayed, the clock will cause its display and during the period of inaction of the odometer, by reason of the non-running of the car, which would be responsible for the mileage shortage, the clockA would run the shaft, 25. T providethe change gear, 24,

understood. The change gears, 24, include two trains which are of graduated diameter as clearly shown in Fig. 2, one of which trains is stationarily mounted with refe-rence to the other and such other is carried by a frame clearly shown inFig. 3 as slidably mounted upon parallel rods so that by shifting said frame laterally along the rods, one

till

.such pinion being in a train,

set of gears of the two trains or another set will be meshed, and thus the timing changed. The pinion, 23, is elongated because it must be ket in mesh with all ofthe gears of the shifta le train, no matter to what position laterally the shifta-ble train is moved. A suitable slide, 34:, andcooperating scale are provided on the exterior of the odometer for convenient manipulation of the change gear, such slide, 34.-, being as clearly shown in Fig. 2 connected by a link and lever with the slidable frame which carries the shiftable train of gears.

Referring to Figs. l md 5, the dial of the speedometer, 10, has an arcuate slot, 35, at the top and back of the dial lis a flat-sided ring, 36, supported so that it may rotate concentric with the center of the speedometer, said ring having a diameter that results in the display on its flat outer face at the slot, 35, and thus the exhibitionj at such slot of any one of a plurality of legends on such face that call attention to something to be done in relation to the vehicle at. certain periods. rlhe ring, 36, has on its back a crown gear, 3'?, with which meshes a pinion,

38, in a train of gears, 39, that receives motion from the odometer driving shaft, 40, and hence not from the odometer, 13, altho the pinion, 38, thus effects the display of the legends of the ring, 36, on a mileage basis. A pinion, 41, also meshes with crown gear, 37,

42, of gears deriving motion from the clock, 14, thepinioiis, 38 and Zil, having a clutch connection with their respective shafts, such as that shown in Fig. 6 and which allows the ring,'36, to be driven either from the odometer or the cloclr. 'lhe clutch connection between the pinions, 38 and al, and the ring, .36, allows the latter to be rotated independently of said p-inions and hence it may be turned at will to adjust the time of display of the signals at the opening, 35, a suitable turning lrnob, 4:3, on the eirterior of the speedometer being provided that is suitably geared to said ring, 36, for turning the seine. 'lhe shutter form device, 16,

inesatte of lFig. 1, is reset, when tripped, by a rod, all, that extends to the exterior of the odometer.

ll show in Fig. 1 a signal, 45, controlled by the clock alone, but as that forms the subject of another application for patent, lf do not claim it herein.

What I claim is:

l. An indicator for motor vehicles having means for calling attention to some matter in relation to the vehicle, comprising a signal member movable to and from display, position, and a plurality of control mechanisms for said member, each of which acts independently of another whereby if one does nolcause the display of said member another w1 2. An indicator for motor vehicles having means for calling attention to some matter in relation to the vehicle, comprising a signal member movable to and from display position, and a plurality of control mechanisms for said member, each of which acts independently of another whereby if one does not cause the display of said member another will, one of said control mechanisms being a time piece and the other a mileage device.

3. An indicator for motor vehicles having 'means for calling attention to some matter in relation to the vehicle, comprising a signal member movable to and from display position, and a plurality of control mechanisms for. said member, each of which acts independently of another whereby if one does not cause the display of said member another will, and an additional signal member under the control of one of said control mechanisms only.

1. An indicator for motor vehicles comprising a device for calling attention to some matter in relation to the vehicle and a plui rality of dissimilar control mechanisms for said device, each of which acts independently of another, whereby if one does not render said device active, another will.

5. lin indicator for motor vehicles comprising a device for calling attention to some matter in relation to the vehicle and a plurality of control mechanisms for said device, one of said control mechanisms being a time piece and the other a mileage device and each acting independently of the other whereby if one does not render the device active, another will.

6. An indicator for motor vehicles comprising a movable member calling attention to some matter in relation to the vehicle requiring attention, means operated on a mileage basis, a time piece, and an operative com nection from said means and time piece to said member to control the movement of such member, the control by the timepiece being independent of the control by the mileage basis means, whereby if one is not active upon said device, the other will be.

l. in indicator for motor vehicles comlllll.

prising a movable member calling attention a position to effect the display or non-display to some'matter in relation to the vehicle reof such matter, means operated on a milequiring attention, means operated on a mileage basis that eii'ects the movement of said age basis, a time piece, and an operative conmember, and means operated on a time basis 6 nection from said means and time piece. to that inde ndently effects the movement of said member to control the movement of such such mem er.

member, said operative connection permit- 10. An indicator for motor vehicles comting action. of one independently of the other `prising matter to be displayed periodically and comprising a clutch device for each. and a moving member shitable to and from l 10" 8. An indicator for motor vehicles comapositiontoefect thedisplay or nondisplay prising a movable member calling attention of such matter, means operated on a mileage to some matter in relation to the vehicle rebasis that effects the movement 0f Said ,meub quiring attention, means operated on a mileber, means operated on a time basis that inage basis, a time piece, and an operative condependently effects the movement of said 15 nection from said means and time piece to member, and means for varying the lengths said member to control the movement of such of the periods of time for causing movement member, said operative connection including of said member. change gearing. l In testimony 'whereof I hereunto aliix my 9. An indicator yfor motor vehicles comsignature.

20 prising matter to be displayed periodically and a moving`member shiftable to and from VliN Salldll'lI-IEY.y 

